and the ’Isle of the Blessed.’  Well, while you were away, there was something going on here, too.  It was our overseer Pink and the gardener’s wife.  Of course, I had to dismiss Pink, but it went against the grain to do it.  It is very unfortunate that such affairs almost always occur in the harvest season.  And Pink was otherwise an uncommonly efficient man, though here, I regret to say, in the wrong place.  But enough of that; Wilke is showing signs of restlessness too.”

At dinner von Briest listened better.  The friendly intercourse with Cousin Dagobert, of whom he heard a good deal, met with his approval, less so the conduct toward Aunt Therese.  But one could see plainly that, at the same time that he was declaring his disapproval, he was rejoicing; for a little mischievous trick just suited his taste, and Aunt Therese was unquestionably a ridiculous figure.  He raised his glass and invited his wife and daughter to join him in a toast.  After dinner, when some of the handsomest purchases were unpacked and laid before him for his judgment, he betrayed a great deal of interest, which still remained alive, or, at least did not die out entirely, even after he had glanced over the bills.  “A little bit dear, or let us say, rather, very dear; however, it makes no difference.  Everything has so much style about it, I might almost say, so much inspiration, that I feel in my bones, if you give me a trunk like that and a traveling rug like this for Christmas, I shall be ready to take our wedding journey after a delay of eighteen years, and we, too, shall be in Rome for Easter.  What do you think, Luise?  Shall we make up what we are behind?  Better late than never.”

Mrs. von Briest made a motion with her hand, as if to say:  “Incorrigible,” and then left him to his own humiliation, which, however, was not very deep.

* * * * *

The end of August had come, the wedding day (October the 3d) was drawing nearer, and in the manor house, as well as at the parsonage and the schoolhouse, all hands were incessantly occupied with the preparations for the pre-nuptial eve.  Jahnke, faithful to his passion for Fritz Reuter, had fancied it would be particularly “ingenious” to have Bertha and Hertha appear as Lining and Mining, speaking Low German, of course, whereas Hulda was to present the elder-tree scene of Kaethchen von Heilbronn, with Lieutenant Engelbrecht of the Hussars as Wetter vom Strahl.  Niemeyer, who by rights was the father of the idea, had felt no hesitation to compose additional lines containing a modest application to Innstetten and Effi.  He himself was satisfied with his effort and at the end of the first rehearsal heard only very favorable criticisms of it, with one exception, to be sure, viz., that of his patron lord, and old friend, Briest, who, when he had heard the admixture of Kleist and Niemeyer, protested vigorously, though not on literary grounds.  “High Lord, and